46 CYPERACEZ: 
stem acutely triangular. Wet places, common. A robust plant 2—3 feet 
high, with broad leaves, which are so rough at the margins as to be dangerous 
to meddle with ; the stem is equally rough, and terminates in heads of fruit, 
which, when ripe, point in all directions. It flowers in June. 
** * * Spikelets alternate, barren at their extremity, simple. 
19. Greater Prickly Sedge (C. muricdta). —Spikelets from 4—6 
crowded ; bracts nearly all shorter than the spikelets. Gravelly pastures, 
frequent. So closely resembling the next in all respects, that the two are 
very difficult of discrimination, if indeed they do not represent two forms of 
the same plant varied by soil and situation. Flowering in May and June. 
The var. pseudo-divilsa is intermediate between this and the next. 
20. Grey Sedge (C. diviilsa).—Spikelets about 6, the lower ones distant ; 
lower bracts rather longer than the spikelets, bristle-shaped ; fruit large, 
pointed, roughish near the extremity. A slender species, with long narrow 
rough leaves, growing from 1—2 feet high, and remarkable for its greyish 
hue. Frequent in moist shady places, and flowering in May and June. 
Evidently a sub-species of C. muricata. 
21. Sea Sedge (C. arendria).—Spikelets of three kinds, upper barren, 
lower fertile, intermediate ones barren at their extremities, forming an 
oblong, acute, interrupted head ; lower bracts longer than the spikelets. A 
very distinct species, abundant on the sandy sea-shore, where it is of great 
service in preventing the shifting of the sands; it also occurs inland in 
Norfolk, Suffolk, and Surrey. ‘The rootstocks creep to a great distance a 
few inches below the surface. They are about as large as whipcord, and are 
invested with the remains of old leaf-sheaths, presenting a jointed appearance. 
From these, tufts of leaves and flowers arise at intervals of a few inches, and 
from the joints descend tufted fibrous roots, with here and there a stouter 
cord-like root which penetrates to a great depth ; the leaves are rigid, rough 
at the edges, and of a glaucous hue; the stems are also rough above, and 
from 6—12 inches high, flowering in June. 
22. Soft Brown Sedge (C. intermédia).—Spike composed of numerous 
ascending acute spikelets, of which the upper and lower are fertile, the middle 
barren ; lower bracts longer than the spikelets. Marshes and wet meadows, 
common. Bearing in many respects a close resemblance to C. arendria, yet 
perfectly distinct : it attains double the height, the leaves are more grass-like, 
and the mature spike is singularly marked by being separated into two 
portions by the remains of the barren spikelets. Indeed, at all stages of its 
growth, the middle portion of the spike differs in appearance from the two 
extremities, by which peculiarity it may be distinguished from all other 
British Sedges. It flowers in June. Also known as C. disticha. 
23. Bracteated Marsh Sedge (C. divisa).—Spike oblong ovate, com- 
posed of several spikelets, the lower one of which is furnished with a slender 
leaf-like bract. A slender plant about afoot high, with light green grass-like 
leaves, and a creeping rootstock ; inhabiting marshy places, especially near 
the sea, principally on the southern and eastern coasts, and not extending 
north of Yorkshire. It flowers in May and June. 
